Astoria and the mouth of the Columbia River
Today the Sea Lion arrived in Astoria, Oregon, practically at the mouth of the Columbia River. The autumn air was as clear as it could possibly be; crisp and fresh, with a scent of oceanic surf, visions of sunlight glistening along the shoreline, numerous gulls and even a few pelicans, all signaling our arrival to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark wish they had it this good, for in the late fall of 1805, Clark commented on this area: “eleven days rain, and the most disagreeable time I have ever experienced on a tempest coast wet, where I can neither git (sic) out to hunt, return to a better situation, or proceed on.”
Our day was full of exciting activities ashore, beginning with a visit to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, filled with exhibits featuring tales of “crossing the bar”, the treacherous offshore sand bar where many ships of old have sunk where the ebbing tide opposes the offshore winds. We then visited the Fort Clatsop National Historic Park, where there is an authentic replica of the winter quarters (1805-06) of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After our lunch aboard theSea Lion, we were off again, this time up to the Astoria Column, a tower depicting the local history of the area. It was here that we spotted a bald eagle perched just overhead, and the subject of the photograph for today.
Our final excursion of the day was a visit up to the Northhead Lighthouse across the Columbia River on the Washington state coast, where, much to our surprise, the local U.S. Coast Guard was conducting mock helicopter rescue maneuvers at eye level just off the point. Waves from the Pacific rolled in as sea lions frolicked in the surf, and the sun began to dip toward the western horizon. Back onboard, our Farewell Cocktail Reception and Dinner awaited us, where we all gathered to reflect on an amazing journey of natural history, geology and discovery in “The Wake of Lewis and Clark”.
Today the Sea Lion arrived in Astoria, Oregon, practically at the mouth of the Columbia River. The autumn air was as clear as it could possibly be; crisp and fresh, with a scent of oceanic surf, visions of sunlight glistening along the shoreline, numerous gulls and even a few pelicans, all signaling our arrival to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark wish they had it this good, for in the late fall of 1805, Clark commented on this area: “eleven days rain, and the most disagreeable time I have ever experienced on a tempest coast wet, where I can neither git (sic) out to hunt, return to a better situation, or proceed on.”
Our day was full of exciting activities ashore, beginning with a visit to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, filled with exhibits featuring tales of “crossing the bar”, the treacherous offshore sand bar where many ships of old have sunk where the ebbing tide opposes the offshore winds. We then visited the Fort Clatsop National Historic Park, where there is an authentic replica of the winter quarters (1805-06) of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After our lunch aboard theSea Lion, we were off again, this time up to the Astoria Column, a tower depicting the local history of the area. It was here that we spotted a bald eagle perched just overhead, and the subject of the photograph for today.
Our final excursion of the day was a visit up to the Northhead Lighthouse across the Columbia River on the Washington state coast, where, much to our surprise, the local U.S. Coast Guard was conducting mock helicopter rescue maneuvers at eye level just off the point. Waves from the Pacific rolled in as sea lions frolicked in the surf, and the sun began to dip toward the western horizon. Back onboard, our Farewell Cocktail Reception and Dinner awaited us, where we all gathered to reflect on an amazing journey of natural history, geology and discovery in “The Wake of Lewis and Clark”.
